Tissue Loss Question

Discussion in 'SPS Corals' started by YellowBelly, Jan 17, 2008.

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  1. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    I usually keep my 120g's salinity at 1.026, KH at 7.0, Calcium at 420 and Magnesium at 1350. I went away for a week but before I left the salinity was at 1.030 so I took out some water and added fresh R/O water. When I came home the SG was at 1.022 and the KH was 7.7, Ca was 370 and Mg was 1050! My Purple Tri-Color turned brown and two of my green acro's started to lose tissue. Could this have been caused by bad alkalinity values or a low levels of Ca and Mg or because the salinity dropped?
     
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  3. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    Those numbers do not seem to be that far off, but the speed at which thing changed could have been the issue rather than the change itself. if the drop form 1.026 to 1.022 was instant I would think that could have caused it.

    J
     
  4. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Yeah it probably was instant. The SG was at 1.030 so I took 10 gallons of saltwater out and replaced it with R/O water.
     
  5. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    I added Calcium and Magnesium last night and tested this morning. My Salinity was 1.026, Ca was at 600 and my Magnesium was at 1500! I went to the LFS to double check the values in case my test kits were off and everything checked out. The corals still look bad so I'm hoping they just need to reacclimate to the rapid changes in salinity and will start recovering in a few days.
     
  6. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    More a direct result of alkalinity and salinity changes being evident over to short a time period! Stressed out your corals.
     
  7. BaxterS80

    BaxterS80 Pajama Cardinal

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    What reefer said...getting the parameters inline and stable is your best bet for having them kick back...It may take a bit...Good Luck
     
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  9. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Thanks, so I should leave everything the way it is or try to bring down the Ca and Mg with a 20% water change while keeping the SG at 1.026 which it is at now?
     
  10. BaxterS80

    BaxterS80 Pajama Cardinal

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    What is your Alkalinity reading? It should be balanced with your Ca or as close as you can get it to balanced. Also, your Mg is high relative to your low Ca reading...
     
  11. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    The Alkalinity was 10dKH according the my API test and with the Salifert KH test it was 10.9dKH or 3.89 meg/L.
     
  12. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Found out why my Alkalinity went up to from 8.0 to 10.9 dKH. I opened up a new container of Red Sea Coral Pro and performed a 25% water change on 1/2/08, I left for vacation on 1/7/08. I tested the new saltwater I made (aged for 3 days) and the Alkalinity read 10.9 dKH! I'm really mad that Red Sea made a bad batch of salt. The container I bought before this one was reading 8.0 dKH.